Make emacs automatically open binary files in hexl-mode

Question

How can I make emacs automatically open binary files in hexl-mode? It's probably sufficient to define "binary" as "contains a null byte" (I suppose https://github.com/audreyr/binaryornot could be used if that ends up being an insufficient heuristic).

Answer 1

If you know the file extensions are working with, the best solution is to just use the auto-mode-alist to startup hexl-mode.

If not, and you take what you have said literally:

It's probably sufficient to define "binary" as "contains a null byte"

You can do this by adding a function that turns on hexl-mode if a file contain a null byte to the find-file-hooks.

Here is a implementation:

(defun buffer-binary-p (&optional buffer)
  "Return whether BUFFER or the current buffer is binary.

A binary buffer is defined as containing at least on null byte.

Returns either nil, or the position of the first null byte."
  (with-current-buffer (or buffer (current-buffer))
    (save-excursion
      (goto-char (point-min))
      (search-forward (string ?\x00) nil t 1))))

(defun hexl-if-binary ()
  "If `hexl-mode' is not already active, and the current buffer
is binary, activate `hexl-mode'."
  (interactive)
  (unless (eq major-mode 'hexl-mode)
    (when (buffer-binary-p)
      (hexl-mode))))

(add-hook 'find-file-hooks 'hexl-if-binary)

Answer 2

I've tried Jordon's answer and it works well, however I'd like to recommend replacing hexl-if-binary (and the (add-hook)) with this:

(add-to-list 'magic-fallback-mode-alist '(buffer-binary-p . hexl-mode) t)

This way it only uses Hexl mode as a last resort if no other mode recognises the file. I prefer this because otherwise, image files open in Hexl mode rather than Image mode.